John Piper, 65, hat sich 2010 eine achtmonatige Auszeit genommen. Das waren seine Ziele:
I enter this eight-month season of detachment from public exposure and public productivity with a view to serious biblical examination, assessment, nurture, and growth in four areas: 1) our own individual persons, both physically and spiritually; 2) our marriage; 3) our relationship with our children and their families; 4) our pattern of ministry on returning to Bethlehem.
Das sind seine Einsichten für die Ehe:
less withdrawal, more engagement,
less moodiness and sullenness, more hope-filled emotions,
less brooding over past disappointments, more dreaming from God’s promises,
less of a critical spirit, more verbal affirmation,
more tenderness, kindness, and touch,
more intentional time together,
more patience with (genetic?) personality traits without assuming sin,
more of a spirit of forgiveness,
more gratitude and less taking for granted,
more courage to name sins (our own and each other’s) without sounding hopeless or condemning,
a fresh sense of God’s gracious fatherhood over us, who, when he disapproves, does not hold us in contempt—and our learning to do this for each other.
Die meisten Menschen setzen sich im Alter von Piper zur Ruhe. Er hingegen schreibt:
Eleven days after I return to ministry, I turn 65. One could look at this two ways: 1) it’s the age most people retire, or 2) it’s the age Winston Churchill became Prime Minister and led England and the Western World to victory over Hitler’s aggression. I find Churchill much more inspiring than retirement.